A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 236

236. Heading to the Namgung Clan

The chief military strategist of the Tang Clan, Xuejian Tang Hualian, was reading a thin letter. Her already displeased expression darkened as she reached a certain part, and she frowned.

“Gongseon Clan’s girl slapped him?”

“She didn’t actually hit him.”

Tang Young, the deputy commander of the Silver Sword Unit, said with his head bowed.

“The young lady of the Maun Merchant Group protected Young Master Son, and I stopped the Gongseon Clan’s daughter.”

“So, you’re saying you were about to let her slap him.”

“That’s right.”

“Ha!”

Tang Hualian let out a burst of laughter, as if she was dumbfounded.

“Are you kidding me? I’m swamped with work, and he’s playing around with young girls?”

Tang Hualian said, openly expressing her annoyance.

It was unexpected for Deputy Commander Tang Young that the target of her anger wasn’t the Gongseon Clan’s daughter but Son Bin.

“Why? Don’t you understand?”

Tang Hualian spoke, noticing his expression. Tang Young immediately lowered his head.

“No, how could I…….”

Questioning the chief military strategist’s judgment was not allowed. Tang Hualian looked down at Tang Young and continued.

“If a fierce tiger fights another fierce beast, that’s a fight. But if it’s a rabbit, it’s a different story. What else can I call this but ‘playing around’?”

Her voice was mixed with undisguised irritation.

“Well, who would say anything if such a precious person wants to play?”

Tang Young couldn’t dare to retort at Tang Hualian’s sarcastic remark. But his doubt remained.

“But your expression is too easy to read. You’re the deputy commander of the Silver Sword Unit; you need to be more careful.”

Thud.

Deputy Commander Tang Young knelt and bowed his head deeply.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Tang Hualian, who was looking down at Tang Young with a cold gaze, sighed slightly.

“You haven’t seen Young Master Son’s true colors yet, have you?”

“I already know that his swordsmanship is very beautiful.”

Tang Young replied, still bowing his head.

What Tang Young knew about Son Bin, Young Master Son, was only fragmentary. The Silver Sword Unit had not yet been allowed to approach Tang Wola closely.

“Hmm.”

After looking down at Tang Young for a moment, Tang Hualian turned her head.

“The current commander of the Silver Sword Unit will be in charge of the newly formed Hyunmu Unit.”

Tang Young nodded. The Silver Sword Unit commander’s martial arts skills were now comparable to those of the Golden Dragon Unit commander or the Hyunmu Unit commander, so there was no way they would leave him as he was.

“And there’s no need to protect Wola anymore. From now on, the Silver Sword Unit will reorganize and take on more tasks.”

“Understood.”

Tang Young bowed his head, accepting Tang Hualian’s words. But Tang Hualian’s words were not over yet.

“And you, I need you to do something else.”

Tang Hualian looked straight at Tang Young and handed him the thin letter. Tang Young received the letter with a respectful attitude.

“From now on, I appoint you as the deputy commander of the Worin Unit. If you need people, you can pick them from the Golden Dragon Unit, the White Tiger Unit, or even the Silver Sword Unit as you please. You can take as much money as you want, literally as much as you want. If the deputy commander of the Worin Unit requests it, no one in the Tang Clan will object.”

Tang Young’s eyes widened at the unimaginably extraordinary support.

“I thought about entrusting it to the current commander of the Silver Sword Unit, but he has become too exposed with this incident. So, I had no choice but to entrust it to you. You are lucky, Tang Young.”

“Thank you.”

Tang Young bowed his head once again respectfully.

Tang Wola is above the Tang Clan. Therefore, her Worin Unit is virtually above any other military organization of the Tang Clan.

“You must prioritize the orders of Commander Tang Wola. But until Wola says otherwise, do as you have been doing for the time being. Do you have any questions?”

After thinking for a moment, Tang Young said quietly.

“Regarding Young Master Son, whom you mentioned earlier…….”

“Hmph.”

Tang Hualian laughed.

“Well, you have to figure that out on your own, right?”

A faint smile bloomed on Tang Hualian’s lips as she spoke. But Tang Young, who had his head bowed, didn’t see that expression.

*

*

*

The morning at the Seowon [a private academy] starts early.

For Son Bin, today was a rare leisurely morning. It was because the women had taken over the meal preparations since yesterday.

“Is it okay?”

Son Bin glanced at the kitchen and asked No-gun. No-gun nodded.

“It’s okay. Young-mae’s [term of endearment for a younger sister or female friend] cooking skills are quite good.”

“But somehow, I feel sorry for making the old woman do this…….”

“It’s okay. It would be good if the other children learn how to cook at this opportunity.”

Tang Un-yeong isn’t the only one in the kitchen. Hyeokryun Se-hwa, Sa Su-yeon, and even Tang Wola are there together.

In fact, that might be why Son Bin is even more anxious. Besides, the occasional sound of clashing dishes fuels his anxiety even more. And the breakfast he had yesterday had a somewhat ambiguous taste.

“How’s your body these days?”

No-gun suddenly asked. Son Bin, who had been thinking about breakfast, understood the meaning of the question and smiled.

“I’m always fine. I think I’ve gotten even better since I treated Young Lady Hwa last time.”

“Really?”

No-gun looked back at Shin-ui. Although he didn’t say anything, Shin-ui quickly understood No-gun’s intention and approached Son Bin, taking his wrist.

Son Bin obediently entrusted his wrist. Shin-ui checked his pulse, examined Son Bin’s eyes and tongue, and touched several places on his neck and chest.

“It’s definitely gotten better.”

“Why? I thought I would have gotten weaker from using my strength?”

“It’s just my guess, but it seems like Bin’s body has adapted.”

“What’s that?”

“When the human body receives a shock, it prepares to resist it. After Bin released the energy of the Ice Crystal in the North Sea, Bin’s body prepared itself to handle a huge amount of energy.”

No-gun nodded. He already knew about the changes that had occurred in Son Bin’s entire body’s meridians [energy pathways in traditional Chinese medicine].

“Compared to that, Hwa-sa’s Yin energy was enough for Bin to handle. You could say it was a suitable stimulus?”

“That’s a suitable stimulus?”

No-gun muttered, as if he was dumbfounded.

“Yes. Originally, the human body is designed to balance Yin and Yang [complementary opposites in Chinese philosophy], so…….”

“No, that’s enough.”

No-gun stopped Shin-ui’s words.

“I only get a headache if I listen more. So, will it get better if you keep giving it that kind of stimulus?”

Shin-ui, who had been interrupted, frowned.

“You only say such foolish things because you don’t listen properly. Didn’t I say it was a suitable stimulus? Too much is harmful.”

“Hey, don’t get so serious about such a small thing. I got it, I got it. So, it’s good for now, right?”

Shin-ui, who had been frowning, looked at No-gun with a displeased expression before reluctantly nodding.

“Yes. And that training swordsmanship seems to be quite effective too.”

The swordsmanship that Son Bin performs every night is the Hyeoncheon Training Swordsmanship. It was created by Tang Wola, Sa Su-yeon, and No-gun based on the Hyeoncheon martial art.

“It’s all thanks to you, Elder.”

Son Bin expresses his gratitude to No-gun again. But No-gun clicked his tongue.

“Did I make it alone? And…… no, it’s nothing.”

When they watch Son Bin perform the Hyeoncheon Training Swordsmanship, even the creators are mesmerized by the beautiful sword movements. At this rate, they can’t even say, ‘I made this swordsmanship.’

Besides, there is a bigger reason why No-gun can’t act proud. The Hyeoncheon Training Swordsmanship is, at least for Son Bin, only a temporary measure.

“Putting the body aside, how about the sword?”

At No-gun’s question, this time Son Bin was silent for a moment.

“Well…….”

After pondering for a moment, Son Bin said.

“At first, I walked while looking at someone’s back. When I came to my senses, I was already walking with a sword as if it were my destiny.”

Son Bin’s voice was as if he was reminiscing about distant memories. Shin-ui and No-gun quietly listened to his voice.

“Sometimes I saved someone, sometimes I endured something, and I moved forward. But at some point…….”

Son Bin continued in a low voice.

“I discovered that there was no one in front of me. When I look back, no one is by my side, and when I look up, the mountain to climb is looking down at me from high above. There is still a place to go, but the path to take has disappeared into the fog.”

Son Bin sighed softly as he fiddled with his teacup.

“I know too well how Sword Hee feels. Knowing that, I couldn’t dare to speak harshly to Sword Hee.”

“I guess so.”

No-gun nodded.

“Besides, that child is a bit silly, but she has some cute aspects.”

Somehow, the story was going quite off track. Son Bin smiled bitterly, but even Shin-ui, who was sitting in front of him, nodded as if he agreed.

“Don’t worry.”

No-gun said. Son Bin raised his head.

“Anyone who holds a sword is alone. If fate made you hold a sword, then fate will surely come to you.”

No one but No-gun could say that. Son Bin listened to that voice.

“Don’t be impatient either. High places are even more dangerous, so if you take a wrong step, it will lead to an irreversible disaster for the whole world.”

Son Bin gave an awkward smile. How could the world go wrong just because he went wrong?

“This is the only advice I can give you right now.”

“Thank you.”

Son Bin expressed his gratitude to No-gun’s teachings with sincerity.

“By the way, shouldn’t we do something about our breakfast?”

Cheong-ah, who had already stuck next to him, said as if she was chattering. Unlike before, when she used to stutter even simple words, Cheong-ah had become a lively girl with her blue hair swaying.

“Don’t you smell it? At this rate, an irreversible disaster will come to the table.”

“Gasp!”

No-gun was startled. What was seeping into the tip of his nose was definitely the smell of something burning.

Son Bin’s heart also sank. He had been somewhat relieved because Tang Un-yeong and Hyeokryun Se-hwa were there, but the combination of Sa Su-yeon and Tang Wola had a destructive power that even they couldn’t handle.

Besides, the men didn’t know, but the old woman Tang Un-yeong, who was in charge of overall command, was actually a typical theoretical expert who only knew things in her head.

Son Bin jumped up from his seat. The fate of breakfast was in his hands.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend]! Good luck!”

Seo-rin shouted at Son Bin. Receiving the support of the five children, Shin-ui, and No-gun, Son Bin ran to the kitchen.

*

*

*

Not long after the initiation ceremony, two letters arrived for Son Bin. One was from the Namgung Clan, and the other was sent by the Blood Peak Golden Thread Union.

“The Namgung Clan has formally invited me. They have asked me to mediate this dispute between the Blood Peak Union and the Namgung Clan.”

The letter sent in the name of the current head of the Namgung Clan, Thunder Sword Namgung Kwon, was very luxurious. It used expensive silk, and the writing was very polite and courteous.

“And, Young Lady Geum Sa-ryeon is also about to depart for the Namgung Clan.”

The other letter came from the symbolic figure of the Blood Peak Union, Blood Peak Geum Sa-ryeon. It was written on rough paper, and the writing was not very refined. But her sincerity was conveyed intact in the letter.

“If we want to make it on time, we should leave soon too.”

Son Bin was asked to be the mediator in charge of reconciling the Blood Peak Union and the Namgung Clan. Namgung Hyang conveyed the results to the Namgung Clan, and the Namgung Clan accepted it and sent a formal letter to Son Bin.

“Did the Namgung Clan only say that? They must have said something else?”

No-gun suddenly said. Son Bin tilted his head, but soon found a part that he could guess.

“Perhaps, if I want, ahem, they will publicly announce my name.”

The letter said ‘the name of the great man’. Son Bin changed his words because it was too brazen to say it himself.

“I knew it.”

No-gun clicked his tongue openly.

“I’m just saying this in case, but don’t ever accept it because it’s a trap. That Namgung Cheon always subtly lays things like this down.”

The letter came in the name of the current head, Namgung Kwon. But it was virtually also the will of Namgung Cheon.

Son Bin tilted his head.

“Is there a reason?”

“Don’t you know yet? If it becomes known that you have stepped in this matter, the outer world will be turned upside down. To put it bluntly, imagine Mu-je [a legendary martial arts figure] stepping in the affairs of the Namgung Clan.”

‘Ah.’

Son Bin understood the meaning of No-gun’s words at once. Would Sa Ja-hyeok try to mediate something like the affairs of the Namgung Clan and the Blood Peak Union?

‘I don’t know, but he would have said, ‘Do as you please.”

Son Bin let out a burst of laughter without realizing it, as if he could hear his voice in his ear. Sa Ja-hyeok is not the kind of person who cares about such things.

Even if the lives of many people are at stake, to Sa Ja-hyeok, that is just each person’s own business. He is literally beyond the heavens, a being beyond the sky.

“But I’m just a scholar…….”

At the same time, the thought that comes to mind is the realization that he is not as important as Sa Ja-hyeok.

Of course, he declared that he would walk the ‘path of Mu-je’, but he cannot be the same as the ‘Mu-je of Hyeoncheon’, can he?

No-gun clicked his tongue at Son Bin’s words. However, it is not in No-gun’s nature to explain everything in detail. No, even the will to do so disappeared.

“So, do you want to be famous?”

Son Bin shakes his head at No-gun’s gaze.

“Of course not…….”

“Then that’s it.”

No-gun simply came to a conclusion.

“There’s already a precedent for not revealing the name of the mediator, so there’s no problem.”

Sometimes the fact that there was a mediator is treated as a secret. If both sides acknowledge it, not revealing the name is nothing special.

“And Thunder Sword sometimes sets traps, but he doesn’t have any malice, so nothing will go too wrong…….”

“He sets traps but has no malice?”

Shin-ui said, as if he was dumbfounded. It’s the former head of the Namgung Clan, not just anyone. No matter how unintentional it is, can the person who was harmed understand that?

But No-gun shrugged.

“This is just a game. If that guy really starts with malice, burying a person or a family is instantaneous. But if he did that to Bin, how would he handle the aftermath? Even if he sets a trap, it’s just a joke, or he’s just trying to get more involved with the Namgung Clan.”

He said it as if it was nothing, but Son Bin somehow felt a cold sweat on his back. He even wondered if he had made an irreversible decision.

No-gun chuckled, noticing that it was showing on his face.

“Don’t worry. You can do whatever you want.”

But No-gun, who said that, frowned again.

“But why am I so worried? Is it because it’s the first time I’m sending him out alone?”

No-gun muttered like a grandfather sending his young grandson far away.

“Aren’t you going with us?”

Son Bin asked. No-gun frowned and looked at Son Bin.

“I told you I’m going on a trip with Young-mae.”

“Don’t worry.”

Sa Su-yeon said.

“I’ll go with you.”

But her words did not ease No-gun’s worries.

“That’s why it’s more of a problem. You’re eye-catching from your appearance, and your personality resembles Mu-je’s……. Tsk.”

No-gun already knew about what Sa Su-yeon had experienced while going to the North Sea.

Those who were fascinated by her beauty and tried to flirt with her were resolutely punished, regardless of whether they were righteous or not. Moreover, perhaps because she resembles her mother, she does not ignore the misfortunes of others.

That’s why Sa Su-yeon has been given the titles of Martial Arts Sword Queen and Gangho’s First Sword Flower, right?

Sa Su-yeon’s face blushed slightly at No-gun’s nagging, but Tang Wola, who had been silent until now, said quietly.

“I’m going too.”

“Me too!”

Not wanting to be outdone, Seo-rin also raised her hand and said.

No-gun, who had been staring at Seo-rin and Tang Wola, turned to Hyeokryun Se-hwa.

“Se-hwa, aren’t you going?”

“I can’t go.”

Hyeokryun Se-hwa said with an apologetic expression.

“I have to teach the children, and my father and mother are waiting for me to greet them morning and evening.”

Hyeokryun Gong and his wife enjoyed spending time with Hyeokryun Se-hwa very much. So, they can’t imagine leaving her seat for a long time.

“This guy won’t go either.”

The ‘this guy’ that No-gun was talking about was Shin-ui. As Shin-ui, who usually doesn’t like martial artists or clans, there is no reason to go.

“Then the people who are going…….”

In the end, it’s Son Bin, Seo-rin, Sa Su-yeon, and Tang Wola. No-gun, who had been staring at the four people, sighed softly.

“Should I not go on the trip?”

His appearance was like a worried grandfather, so Son Bin smiled without realizing it. However, he had to quickly turn his head because No-gun was glaring at him.